Training  the  Personnel 
of  Small  Offices 


By  the  Committee  on 

OFFICE  WORK  TRAINING 


Chairman 

Martin  L.  Pierce 

Manager  of  Research  and  Promotion,  Hoover  Suction  Sweeper  Co. 


Copyright,  1922 

NATIONAL  PERSONNEL  ASSOCIATION 

20  Vesey  Street  - New  York,  N.  Y. 


COMMITTEE  ON  OFFICE  WORK  TRAINING 


Martin  L.  Pierce,  Chairman 

The  Hoover  Suction  Sweeper  Company 

North  Canton,  Ohio 

H.  G.  Kenagy 

Carnegie  Institute  of  Technology 
Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania 

C.  A.  Stonelake 

The  Prudential  Insurance  Company  of  America 
Newark,  New  Jersey 

Miss  Ann  Durham 

Federal  Reserve  Bank  of  Chicago 

Chicago,  Illinois 

C.  H.  Weiser 

Southwestern  Bell  Telephone  Company 
St.  Louis,  Missouri 

P.  C.  Holter 
Chase  National  Bank 
New  York,  New  York 

M.  B.  Folsom 

The  Eastman  Kodak  Company 
Rochester,  New  York 

James  H.  Greene 
Kaufmann’s  Department  Store 
Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania 

H.  E.  Puffer 
The  Larkin  Company 
Buffalo,  New  York 

D.  A.  Reed 

Travelers  Life  Insurance  Company 
Hartford,  Connecticut 


Note: — This  report  will  be  discussed  at  the  convention.  Members  should 
bring  their  copies  of  reports  with  them.  No  copies  will  be  available 
for  free  distribution  at  the  convention. 


TRAINING  THE  PERSONNEL  OF  SMALL  OFFICES 


I.  Introduction 

The  basis  of  this  report  on  Training  the  Personnel  of  Small 
Offices  is  a general  survey  of  conditions  as  they  actually  exist  in  the 
typical  small  office  in  the  United  States.  The  offices  covered  include 
those  of  manufacturing  concerns,  insurance  offices,  real  estate  offices, 
department  store  offices,  and  the  offices  of  larger  wholesale  and 
retail  establishments  representing  various  lines  of  business.  It 
will  be  the  purpose  of  this  report  to  outline  for  the  office  manager, 
or  the  executive  functioning  as  an  office  manager,  the  essentials 
of  a systematic  program  for  training  office  employees.  The  dis- 
cussion will  also  furnish  sources  of  information  that  can  be  se- 
cured both  for  checking  the  efficiency  and  for  further  classifying 
and  standardizing  his  own  organization. 

This  study  is  limited  to  offices  having  approximately  200  em- 
ployees or  less,  because  the  work  of  the  larger  office  has  been,  for 
most  part,  covered  by  such  publications  as  those  of  Schulze*  and 
Leffingwellf.  Furthermore,  the  offices  employing  more  than  200 
employees  have,  for  most  part,  an  office  manager  giving  all  or 
most  of  his  time  definitely  to  carrying  out  plans  of  training  and 
employee  development  for  his  organization,  while  the  typical  small 
office  is,  for  most  part,  simply  a number  of  departments  without 
any  executive  giving  general  supervision — each  department  head 
having  his  own  standards  for  a day’s  work  as  well  as  his  own 
standard  of  efficiency.  There  is  seldom  a standardization  of  iden- 
tical jobs  in  various  departments;  neither  is  there  a standardization 
of  salaries. 

The  report  is  intended  to  cover  the  typical  employees  of  the 
small  office,  such  as  stenographers,  typists,  dictaphone  operators, 
filing  clerks,  billing  clerks,  and  operators  of  adding  machines, 
comptometers  and  other  standard  office  equipment.  The  data  upon 
present  training  methods  in  small  offices  have  been  secured  from 
an  investigation  of  approximately  400  offices,  these  offices  being 
situated  in  towns  and  cities  ranging  from  the  size  of  New  York 
to  Canton,  Ohio,  and  in  geographical  distribution  ranging  from 
Boston  to  St.  Louis.  The  method  used  by  the  Committee  was 

♦Schulze,  John  William,  The  American  Office,  Ronald  Press  Co.,  1914. 

fLeffingwell,  William  Henry,  Scientific  Office  Management,  A.  W.  Shaw 
Co.,  1917. 


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that  of  personal  investigation  by  the  members  of  the  Committee 
of  conditions  that  actually  existed  in  the  various  communities. 
This  information,  for  most  part,  was  secured  personally  from  the 
office  manager  or  some  executive  in  the  office  from  which  the  re- 
port was  received. 

In  the  small  office  the  all-around  efficiency  of  the  employee 
should  necessarily  be  higher  than  that  of  the  large  office,  if  the 
standard  of  work  turned  out  is  to  be  maintained,  because  in  a 
small  office  even  stenographers  will  not  have  dictation  enough  to 
keep  them  busy  all  the  time.  For  that  reason  they  must  have 
knowledge  of  other  types  of  work,  in  order  to  keep  their  time 
profitably  employed.  The  same  thing  is  true  of  all  other  types 
of  office  employees.  The  lack  of  systematic  training  in  the  small 
office  necessarily  keeps  the  efficiency  of  the  small  office  employee 
much  lower  than  it  should  be,  and  for  that  reason  it  has  been 
found  that  the  number  of  employees  in  the  small  office  ranges 
higher  for  the  volume  of  work  turned  out  than  in  the  larger  office, 
where  systematic  training  is  regularly  conducted. 

Training  Methods  Discovered 

Among  the  400  offices  investigated,  only  five  per  cent,  of  them 
are  carrying  on  any  type  of  office  training  and  not  more  than  one 
per  cent,  are  carrying  on  a systematic,  well-arranged  training  pro- 
gram, which  looks  towards  the  definite  development  of  its  em- 
ployees. Two  of  the  companies  investigated  have  more  or  less 
formal  school  training.  One  of  these,  a large  printing  house,  re- 
quires all  its  employees  between  14  and  18  years  of  age,  to  attend 
classes  an  average  of  four  hours  per  day.  The  emphasis  is  upon 
shop  work  but  some  general  instruction  is  given  in  such  subjects 
as  Applied  Arithmetic  and  Grammar.  Some  of  the  employees 
graduate  from  the  school  into  office  jobs.  The  Northern  Trust 
Company  of  Chicago  requires  all  employees  under  16  years  of  age 
to  attend  school  50  per  cent,  of  the  time.  A teacher  is  employed 
full  time  but  officers  of  the  company  assist  in  special  work.  At- 
tendance of  employees  above  16  years  is  optional,  but  incentives 
are  supplied  to  make  training  desired.  Special  salary  increases 
are  given  to  good  students,  and  the  brightest  students  are  picked 
for  special  training.  Pupils  are  encouraged  to  take  outside  courses 
also,  such  as  the  Benjamin  Franklin  Institute  Course,  and  gradu- 
ates of  such  courses  are  given  opportunity  to  advance  to  responsible 
positions.  Departmental  meetings  are  used  for  giving  such  general 


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training  as  all  employees  need.  The  results  of  the  whole  training 
program  have  been  very  gratifying. 

In  the  Guardian  Life  Insurance  Company,  a course  on  general 
life  insurance  principles,  extending  over  three  months,  is  given  as 
often  as  the  hiring  of  new  employees  necessitates.  The  class  meets 
twice  a week  from  8:30  to  9:30  A.  M.,  the  company  giving  half 
the  time  and  the  employee  half.  The  teachers  are  mostly  company 
officials  and  give  their  time.  A few  of  the  lectures  are  given  by 
older  clerks  who  consider  it  an  honor  to  be  asked  to  help.  An 
examination  is  given  at  the  end  of  the  course  and  successful 
students  are  awarded  certificates.  The  company  reports  that  the 
course  has  tended  to  bring  about  greater  permanence  of  service 
and  stability  in  the  office  force  and  has  served  to  interest  several 
keen  young  men  in  a life  insurance  career.  Friction  between  clerks 
of  different  departments  has  been  lessened  since  each  department 
understands  the  work  of  the  other.  The  attendance  has  been  ex- 
cellent with  each  class.  Recently  there  has  been  a demand  for  an 
advanced  course. 

Many  companies  find  it  necessary,  of  course,  to  give  new  office 
employees  special  training  in  performing  operations  on  tasks  pe- 
culiar to  their  business.  Many  jobs  require  a certain  amount  of 
specific  technical  information  on  the  part  of  the  worker.  Every 
company,  with  its  particular  products  or  services,  has  its  own 
body  of  knowledge  which  almost  all  its  office  employees  need  to 
know.  For  these  reasons  some  plan,  whether  formal  or  informal, 
needs  to  be  employed  to  give  the  necessary  knowledge  to  the  em- 
ployees. Some  companies  conduct  specialized  courses  covering 
technical  jobs,  others  maintain  courses  of  instruction  in  the  funda- 
mentals of  the  particular  business.  Examples  of  this  latter  plan 
are  the  courses  in  Investments  and  Bank  Operations  given  by 
some  banks  and  trust  companies.  Some  manufacturing  companies 
give  their  office  employees  a course  of  general  lectures  about  the 
products  manufactured.  Concerns  like  the  Addressograph  Com- 
pany and  the  Yawman  and  Erbe  Company,  train  their  employees 
in  the  use  of  their  particular  products.  The  American  Rolling 
Mill  Company,  in  addition  to  the  development  of  a manual  of  gen- 
eral instructions  for  stenographers  and  other  office  workers,  has 
published  for  their  use  a special  company  vocabulary,  showing  all 
the  shorthand  equivalents. 

Training  in  the  more  common  office  functions  has  not  been 
given  the  attention  it  deserves.  Aside  from  sporadic  attempts  to 


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train  correspondents — sometimes  by  merely  publishing  a booklet 
of  the  mechanics  of  composition  and  letter  writing — little  has  been 
done.  Courses  in  correspondence  usually  bring  satisfactory  re- 
sults, but  the  idea  of  training  seldom  spreads  from  this  to  other 
departments.  One  plan,  however,  which  involves  actual  training 
in  office  work,  deserves  mention.  This  is  the  plan  of  keeping  an 
emergency  stenographic  and  clerical  force,  under  constant  train- 
ing, to  fill  positions  suddenly  or  temporarily  made  vacant  in  some 
department  of  the  plant.  The  Eastman  Kodak  Company  main- 
tains such  ;a  group,  under  the  supervision  of  a trained  office 
woman.  The  members  are  given  regular  instruction  in  typing,  gen- 
eral filing  and  other  clerical  operations.  When  they  become  fully 
qualified  for  regular  positions,  they  are  transferred  out  of  the 
emergency  squad.  The  period  of  training  depends  upon  the  in- 
dividual, and  may  vary  from  four  to  sixteen  weeks. 

In  such  a brief  summary,  it  is  impossible  to  describe  the  many 
variations  in  training  methods  which  were  found.  Others  will 
appear  later  as  illustrations.  The  chief  fact  discovered,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Committee,  is  the  almost  total  lack  of  a definite, 
planned  training  program  in  the  majority  of  companies.  Train- 
ing, in  small  offices,  has  been  left  to  take  care  of  itself.  The 
findings  of  the  Committee,  therefore,  show  a positive  need  for 
serious  attention  to  the  problems  and  methods  of  training.  In 
the  paragraphs  which  follow,  the  essentials  of  a scientific  program 
will  be  outlined.  The  Committee  believes  that,  thru  the  adop- 
tion of  such  a program,  the  management  of  the  small  office  may 
expect  the  following  definite  results: 

1.  The  several  tasks  to  be  performed  by  the  employees  will 
be  classified,  and  the  relative  simplicity  and  complexity  of 
the  tasks  to  be  performed  will  be  brought  out. 

2.  By  job  analysis,  the  various  operations  will  be  studied  and 
the  easiest,  quickest  and  best  methods  of  performance  will 
be  written  down. 

3.  Standard  performance  by  the  hour  or  day  will  be  estab- 
lished. 

4.  On  this  performance,  salaries  can  be  standardized  and  a 
definite  route  for  promotions  established. 

5.  By  the  coordination  of  the  various  offices,  promotions  from 
within  the  organization  by  transfer  from  one  department 
to  the  other  will  be  made  possible. 

6.  The  excessive  turnover  will  be  greatly  reduced. 


6 


7.  The  inefficient  employees  will  soon  be  discovered  and  elim- 
inated. 

8.  The  unusually  efficient  employee  will  be  discovered  and 
promoted. 

II.  Proper  Selection  the  First  Step  in  Training 

A careful  program  of  selection  is  the  first  step  in  the  develop- 
ment of  an  efficient  office  force.  This  is  particularly  true  in  small 
offices  because  of  the  necessary  absence  of  a comprehensive  train- 
ing system  such  as  is  possible  in  larger  groups.  It  is  necessary 
in  most  cases  to  select  employees  for  the  specific  job  rather  than 
for  induction  into  a training  course  which  might  fit  them  for  one 
of  several  positions.  In  other  words,  employees  at  the  time  of 
hiring  must  be  capable  of  filling  satisfactorily  the  specific  jobs  for 
which  they  are  employed  and  most  such  employees  must  be  able 
to  learn  to  fill  more  responsible  positions. 

The  best  personnel  practice  in  offices  provides  promotion  from 
within  the  company  as  far  as  this  is  possible.  Where  this  practice 
is  carried  out  it  is  usually  the  lower  and  less  important  position 
which  is  made  vacant  by  the  turnover  in  the  office  force.  That 
is,  if  a high-grade  clerk  leaves  her  position,  the  vacancy  is  filled 
by  an  understudy  and  promotions  occur  down  the  line  to  the 
lowest  position  in  the  office.  It  is  this  position  which  must  be 
filled  from  the  outside.  If  this  system  of  promotion  is  followed, 
it  is  evident  that  the  new  employee  must  be  capable  of  advancing 
from  one  position  to  another  as  rapidly  as  vacancies  occur.  The 
importance  of  careful  selection,  therefore,  cannot  be  too  greatly 
emphasized. 

The  plan  of  promoting  within  the  company  and  of  taking  on 
new  employees  at  the  lower  level  of  duties,  is  only  possible,  of 
course,  when  opportunities  for  training  are  given  to  all  office 
workers.  Each  employee  must  be  given  the  chance  to  understudy 
a more  responsible  position  and  to  acquire  the  general  background 
of  information  necessary  to  advancement  in  the  company.  But 
employee  initiative  must  not  be  relied  upon  wholly  to  secure  re- 
sults. The  company  must  make  training  easy  to  acquire  and  must 
supply  incentives  to  arouse  the  interest  and  earnest  efforts  of 
employees. 

One  exception  to  the  general  rule  of  hiring  only  persons  cap- 
able of  rapid  advancement,  may  occur  in  the  case  of  employees 
who  operate  special  machines  or  who  do  work  of  a routine  char- 


7 


acter.  In  this  class  would  be  put  comptometer  operators,  billing 
machine  operators,  dictaphone  operators,  and  long-hand  clerks.  It 
has  often  proved  to  be  good  practice  to  hire  for  such  positions 
persons  who  are  adapted  to  routine  work  and  who  are  incapable 
of  doing  work  of  much  higher  character.  It  is  possible  to  secure 
office  workers  who  are  content  year  after  year  to  hold  positions 
of  this  sort. 

Hiring  Another  Company’s  Trained  Help  Only  a Temporary 

Solution 

It  should  be  pointed  out  in  this  connection  that  the  hiring  of 
another  company’s  trained  help  is  only  a temporary  solution  of 
the  problem  of  securing  an  efficient  office  force.  In  the  first  place 
this  practice  disturbs  the  morale  of  the  office  into  which  such  em- 
ployees are  brought.  The  older  employees,  who  in  such  circum- 
stances have  no  chance  to  advance  (through  lack  of  training  facil- 
ities), resent  having  an  outsider  put  into  a position  which  they 
have  not  been  given  an  opportunity  to  hold.  The  company  which 
follows  the  practice  of  bringing  in  outsiders  can  never  expect  to 
develop  the  team  work  and  Esprit  de  Corps  which  is  found  in 
offices  where  promotion  within  the  company  is  the  rule.  While 
it  is  possible  to  secure  by  this  method  a group  of  highly  capable 
individuals,  it  is  not  possible  to  develop  the  smoothly  working  or- 
ganization which  is  necessary  for  efficient  work. 

Hiring  another  company’s  trained  help  is  more  expensive  in 
the  long  run  than  the  development  of  persons  within  the  organiza- 
tion. The  cost  of  discovering  and  inducting  outside  help,  and 
the  high  turnover  which  this  practice  usually  causes  in  the  or- 
ganization, more  than  offset  the  necessary  time,  effort,  and  expen- 
diture given  to  develop  talent  within  the  company.  For  this  reason 
as  well  as  for  the  ethics  of  the  situation,  intelligent  personnel  prac- 
tice points  to  the  value  of  filling  positions  within  the  company 
through  the  regular  channels  of  promotion. 

Successful  Selection  Based  on  Job  Analysis 

4 Successful  selection  of  office  employees  depends  largely  upon 
the  thorough  knowledge  of  the  various  jobs  to  be  performed,  since 
each  individual  must  be  selected  upon  the  basis  of  his  or  her 
ability  to  perform  specific  tasks.  The  employment  manager  or 
office  manager  must  know  the  specific  requirements  of  each  job. 
The  approved  method  of  securing  this  information  is  the  job 
analysis.  This  method  is  so  widely  known  through  its  use  in  con- 


8 


nection  with  industrial  problems  that  no  description  need  be  given 
here.  Factory  managers  and  industrial  engineers  have  discovered 
that  job  analysis  is  the  first  step  in  improving  the  processes  of 
production  and  in  increasing  the  earning  power  of  the  individual 
employee.  The  data  from  job  analysis  have  been  used  as  a basis 
for: 

(1)  Devising  methods  of  work  that  require  less  time  and 
energy 

(2)  Improving  methods  of  training  and  supervising  workers 

(3)  Improving  the  methods  of  selecting  employes 

(4)  Making  wage  adjustments 

(5)  Planning  a system  of  promotion 

(6)  Improving  working  conditions 

The  use  of  job  analysis*  makes  possible  the  careful  descrip- 
tion not  only  of  the  duties  of  each  job  but  of  the  qualifications 
required  of  the  person  who  fills  the  job.  With  this  data  in  hand 
it  becomes  possible  to  draw  up  a detailed  job  specification  which 
the  employment  department  can  use  as  the  basis  of  its  selection 
procedure.  To  illustrate  what  is  meant,  the  following  description 
of  a clerical  position  in  the  employment  department  of  a Pittsburgh 
public  service  corporation  is  given. 

Name: Name  of  Occupation  Steno.  and  Clerk 

Immediate  Superior:  Employment  Manager 

Number  of  Subordinates:  Office  boy  does  filing,  part  time,  under  her  direction 
Hours  of  Work:  8:30  to  5.  One  hour  for  lunch. 

Description  of  Occupation : 

Performs  stenographic  and  clerical  work  of  the  Employment  Office. 
Takes  dictation  from  Employment  Manager,  Office  Employment  Supervisor, 
and  from  interviewers.  (Most  of  the  correspondence  is  with  outside  firms 
relative  to  requests  for  references  or  information  regarding  persons  who  apply 
for  positions  with  the  company.) 

Types  form  letters,  “Help  Wanted”  advertisements,  and  weekly  and 
monthly  employment  reports. 

Performs  clerical  and  filing  work  involved  in  keeping  up  to  date  the 
file  of  application  blanks.  Classifies  and  tabs  application  blanks,  which  are 
filed  in  a visible  index  file.  Gives  trade  tests  to  persons  applying  for  sten- 
ographic and  typing  positions. 

Advises  new  female  employees  as  to  company  standards  and  policies. 

On  account  of  typing  being  done  in  the  reception  room  of  the  Welfare 
Bureau,  answers  telephone  for  the  Welfare  Manager,  receives  and  ushers  his 
callers.  Occasionally  sterilizes  instruments  for  Welfare  Manager.  Occasion- 
ally types  correspondence  for  him. 

Time  Required  to  Learn  This  Work:  One  month. 

Special  Training  Required:  Knowledge  of  stenography,  filing,  business  letter 

writing,  use  of  tests. 


♦The  March,  1922,  issue  of  Filing  and  Office  Management  contained  a 
valuable  article  on  “Job  Analysis  as  an  Aid  to  Management,”  by  O.  C. 
Murray. 


9 


The  problem  of  developing  job  descriptions  in  small  offices  is 
complicated  by  the  fact  that  it  is  often  necessary  for  one  person 
to  perform  a variety  of  duties.  For  example,  a stenographer,  in 
addition  to  taking  dictation,  may  have  to  do  a great  deal  of  routine 
typing,  some  longhand  transcribing,  check  records,  and  file  all  the 
records  of  her  office.  Because  of  this  variety  of  duties  it  is  difficult 
to  hire  a person  who  can  fit  the  job  from  the  beginning.  For  this 
reason  it  is  all  the  more  important  that  the  various  duties  should 
be  carefully  described  in  the  written  specifications  of  the  job. 

With  the  written  specifications  as  a basis,  the  employment  pro- 
cedure can  be  gradually  defined  and  standardized.  That  is,  since 
the  qualifications  necessary  for  each  job  are  known,  it  becomes  pos- 
sible to  develop  ways  and  means  of  measuring  these  various  qualifi- 
cations in  the  applicants  for  positions.  To  date  very  little  has  been 
accomplished  in  this  direction  outside  of  a few  proficiency  or  trade 
tests  for  some  of  the  special  qualifications  needed  in  office  posi- 
tions. We  have,  for  example,  tests  to  determine  the  speed  and 
accuracy  of  typists  and  stenographers  and  various  machine  opera- 
tors. But,  as  has  been  pointed  out  above,  the  problem  in  small 
offices  is  not  so  much  to  secure  efficiency  on  a particular  job,  but 
to  secure  ability  to  learn.  In  the  small  office  the  new  stenographer 
must  be  able  not  only  to  take  dictation  and  transcribe  her  notes, 
but  must  be  able  to  learn  rapidly  many  other  operations,  some  of 
which  may  be  peculiar  to  the  particular  company.  For  most  posi- 
tions in  the  small  office,  therefore,  the  intelligence  of  the  applicant 
is  of  prime  importance. 

A Measure  of  Intelligence  Is  a Valuable  Selection 

Evidence  is  accumulating  to  the  effect  that  the  use  of  a standard 
intelligence  test  in  selection  will  improve  the  ratio  of  success  and 
will  aid  materially  in  raising  the  level  of  efficiency  in  an  office.  It 
will  also  greatly  decrease  the  turnover  now  caused  by  improper 
placement.  The  Bureau  of  Personnel  Research  of  Carnegie  Insti- 
tute of  Technology  has  secured  significant  results  with  a revised 
form  of  the  Army  Alpha  test.  The  test  has  been  given  to  several 
thousand  office  employes  and  clearly  defined  levels  of  intelligence 
for  various  types  of  office  workers  have  been  discovered.5*'  That 
is,  as  the  accompanying  chart  indicates,  stenographers  score  higher 
as  a group  than  do  typists,  bookkeepers  score  higher  than  ledger 

♦For  a full  discussion  of  tests  in  selection,  see  Administration,  October, 
1921,  “The  Prevention  of  Labor  Turnover”  and  Forbes , May  27,  1922, 
“Empty  Heads  Make  Poor  Clerks,”  by  H.  G.  Kenagy. 


10 


Comparison  of  occupational  sub-divisions  in  t\n/o 
genera!  occupational  groups  on  basis  of  Scores  in 
Genera!  Intel I igence  Test  • Company  A. 


5rff/vofi/?APH/c  Clocks 


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rrndd/o  SO  % 


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Future  rtoar  cantor 
• a modi' an . 


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rvf3;a+u(i>) 


■ i i ■ i 

30  40  70  30  so 


_J I 

HO  130 


I .. 

too 


~T&ntsiscfZiG>mG  Clcsks. 


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Lodger  Clork.o(55) 


IOI 


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22. 


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79 


clerks,  etc.  Therefore  an  applicant  who  makes  an  intelligence  score 
below  the  lower  limit  for  successful  stenographers,  should  not  be 
given  a position  as  a stenographer.  In  small  offices  no  applicant 


11 


should  be  employed,  except  for  routine  work,  whose  intelligence 
level  is  not  comparable  to  that  of  the  average  satisfactory  worker 
now  employed.  Applicants  for  routine  jobs,  who  compare  favor- 
ably in  intelligence  with  the  routine  clerks  already  employed,  should 
be  warned  in  the  beginning  that  they  cannot  expect  to  be  advanced. 

The  intelligence  level  of  an  applicant  or  a new  employee  is  a 
reliable  index  of  his  or  her  ability  to  learn  and  to  advance  from 
job  to  job.  Consequently,  opportunity  to  learn  must  be  given  or 
else  dissatisfaction  arises.  When  an  employee  is  held  too  long  in 
a position  which  he  has  mastered,  he  loses  interest,  “soldiers”  on 
the  job  or  quits.  A large  part  of  the  turnover  in  business  offices 
is  traceable  directly  to  this  situation.  At  the  other  end  of  the  in- 
telligence scale  are  employees  who  are  unable  to  learn  and  who  can- 
not perform  their  work  satisfactorily.  Discharges  add  these 
workers  to  the  turnover  records. 

Intelligence  is  not,  of  course,  the  only  qualification  which  should 
be  considered  in  hiring  office  employees.  But,  it  is  perhaps  the  one 
trait  or  quality  which  can  be  measured  successfully  today  at  the 
time  of  employment,  excluding,  of  course,  actual  ability  to  per- 
form standardized  operations.  The  other  qualifications  of  the  ap- 
plicant must  be  judged  by  the  interviewer,  using  perhaps  some 
form  of  rating  scale  or  judgment  blank  to  assist  in  the  process. 

III.  Training 

It  has  been  pointed  out  in  preceding  paragraphs  that  formal 
training  courses  are  not  adapted  to  the  needs  of  small  offices  where 
few  individuals  hold  similar  positions  or  perform  the  same  duties. 
The  information  which  all  employes  need  is  not  extensive  and  is 
not  so  difficult  to  acquire  that  formal  training  courses  are  neces- 
sary. Each  employee  needs  careful  instruction  in  regard  to  the 
duties  and  responsibilities  of  his  or  her  own  position.  Consequently 
training  must  be  given  for  the  job  and  on  the  job.  That  is,  each 
employee  must  be  given  instruction  covering  each  element  of  his 
job  and  the  best  method  of  performing  each  element.  Further- 
more, this  training  must  be  given  while  the  job  is  being  performed. 

Two  general  plans  of  training,  therefore,  are  needed  in  the 
small  offices.  First,  the  employee  must  be  given  such  general  in- 
formation as  is  needed  by  all  employees;  second,  each  employee 
must  be  taught  how  to  perform  his  particular  job  most  efficiently. 
The  first  type  of  training  may  be  given  through  group  instruction. 
The  second  must  be  thoroughly  individualized. 


12 


Job  Analysis  Indicates  Training  Needs 

The  basic  material  for  both  types  of  training  should  be  secured 
from  the  data  of  the  job  analysis.  By  combining  the  data  secured 
from  an  analysis  of  all  jobs,  the  common  requirements  of  all  the 
jobs  will  be  clearly  indicated.  That  is,  it  will  be  discovered  whether 
general  training  can  be  properly  given  in  such  things  as  English, 
spelling,  office  routine,  and  the  like.  The  most  important  informa- 
tion, however,  will  be  that  which  describes  the  particular  duties 
of  each  job.  This  information  becomes  the  basis  of  the  special 
training  given  to  the  individual  holding  a job.  To  further  define 
and  improve  this  individual  training,  careful  judgments  or  ratings 
of  the  efficiency  of  each  employee  in  the  various  elements  of  his 
or  her  job  can  be  made.  By  comparing  these  ratings  with  the 
company  standards  of  efficiency  the  special  training  needs  of  each 
individual  will  be  clearly  indicated.  That  is,  the  weak  points  will 
be  pointed  out  and  can  be  made  the  basis  of  training  efforts. 

Efficiency  Standards  Necessary 

To  carry  through  any  training  program  for  office  workers,  there 
must  be  clearly  defined  standards  or  goals  for  the  training  pro- 
gram as  a whole,  and  for  the  individual  employees.  It  must  be  pos- 
sible to  measure  the  degree  of  attainment  in  each  job  so  that  the 
proficiency  of  each  employee  may  be  determined  definitely.  This 
is  perhaps  more  difficult  for  the  jobs  in  small  offices  since  each 
job  may  include  many  dissimilar  duties,  but  as  far  as  possible 
there  must  be  for  each  task  definite  understandable  norms  or  stand- 
ards of  efficiency  such  that  it  will  be  possible  to  grade  the  ability 
and  performance  of  each  employee. 

In  this  connection,  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  ordinary  ratings 
or  estimates  on  general  traits  are  not  sufficient  for  this  purpose. 
That  is,  the  office  manager’s  “arm  chair”  judgments  of  speed,  ac- 
curacy, intelligence,  personality,  loyalty,  etc.,  are  not  reliable  bases 
from  which  to  develop  a training  program.  More  exact  and  more 
objective  measures  are  needed.  The  ideal  rating  is  one  which  is 
based  upon  the  performance  of  the  actual  concrete  elements  of 
the  job.  The  rating  scale  which  is  used  should  be  designed  to  force 
the  office  manager  or  the  supervisor  to  analyze  his  judgments  care- 
fully and  to  discriminate  between  qualities. 

Wherever  possible  actual  production  units  should  be  the  basis 
of  judgment  as  to  ability  and  the  need  for  further  training.  For 
some  office  jobs  this  method  is  quite  possible.  For  straight  typing, 


13 


\ 


machine  operating,  and  for  some  kinds  of  routine  clerical  work, 
it  is  possible  to  measure  the  actual  amount  of  production  per  day 
or  per  hour.  In  such  cases  quality  and  quantity  of  work  become 
the  basis  for  efficiency  ratings.  At  the  other  extreme  are  positions 
of  such  a character  that  judgments  of  ability  must  be  relied  upon 
almost  entirely.  In  such  cases,  the  necessity  for  making  a careful 
analysis  of  the  job  and  for  basing  ratings  upon  the  discrete  elements 
discovered  is  all  the  more  important.  In  order  to  illustrate  the 
method  of  rating  common  qualities,  a graphic  rating  scale  for 
clerical  workers  is  included.  Such  a scale  has  been  used  extensively 
by  the  Scott  Company  of  Philadelphia,  the  Carnegie  Bureau  of 
Personnel  Research,  and  by  numerous  business  firms. 

Putting  the  Training  Material  Across 

There  are  two  methods  which  can  be  employed  to  put  across 
the  general  information  which  all  employees  in  the  small  office 
should  have.  The  usual  practice  is  that  of  the  group  meeting  where 
some  executive  of  the  company,  such  as  the  office  manager,  or 
some  outside  lecturer  discusses  topics  of  mutual  interest.  The 
National  City  Bank  of  Chicago  and  the  Northern  Trust  Company 
are  examples  of  financial  institutions  which  follow  this  plan  of 
acquainting  office  boys,  messengers,  and  others  with  the  funda- 
mental information  regarding  bank  operations.  The  office  man- 
ager of  a large  food  products  company  in  New  York  gathers  all 
clerks  together  once  each  month  for  instruction  covering  every 
line  of  office  practice.  The  Lincoln  Alliance  Bank  of  Rochester, 
New  York,  requires  all  its  junior  employees  to  attend  educational 
meetings,  held  outside  of  banking  hours,  which  are  addressed  by 
senior  employees  of  the  company.  Many  other  companies  give 
groups  of  employees  special  instruction  in  handling  correspondence 
and  other  matters  of  general  office  concern. 

The  formal  lecture  method  of  training,  however,  even  though 
accompanied  by  informal  discussion,  seldom  secures  as  valuable 
results  as  does  training  based  upon  the  study  of  some  printed  ma- 
terial. The  combining  of  lectures  and  group  study,  however,  se- 
cures the  benefits  of  both  methods. 

fp'->  • 

Using  the  Office  Manual 

Special  material  for  group  study  and  formal  discussions  ma> 
well  be  embodied  in  what  is  usually  known  as  the  office  manual. 


14 


Name  

Graphic  Rating 

Scale  for  Clerical  Workers 

Dept 

Position  

Instructions  for  making  out  this  report:  Before  attempting  to  report  on  this  em- 
ployee it  is  necessary  to  have  clearly  in  mind  the  definitions  of  the  qualities  which  are 
to  he  reported  upon.  In  each  quality  judge  this  employee  and  place  an  X somewhere 
on  the  line  running  from  right  to  left  that  will  indicate  approximately  this  employee’s 
standing  in  that  quality.  It  is  not  necessary  to  put  the  X directly  above  any  of  the 
division  points.  Judge  employee  on  present  job  only  wherever  possible. 

Qualities  Report 


1.  Appearance. 
Consider  neat- 
ness of  person 
and  dress. 

Appro- 

priate 

Neat 

Ordinary 

Possible 

Slov- 

enly 

II.  Ability  to 
Learn.  Consider 
ease  of  learning 
new  methods. 

Very 

quick 

Catches 
on  easily 

Needs 

repeated 

instruction 

III.  Accuracy. 
Consider  qual- 
ity of  work,  free- 
dom from  errors. 

No  errors 

Very 

Careful 

Few  errors 

Careless 

Many 

errors 

IV.  Dependabil- 
ity. Consider 
how  well  he  can 
be  relied  on  to 
do  his  w o r k- 
without  supervi- 
sion. 

Very 

reliable 

Trust- 

worthy 

Usually 

reliable 

Unreliable 

V.  Speed.  Con- 
sider amount  of 
work  accom- 

plished. 

Very 

speedy 

Rapid 

Moderate 

Slow 

Very 

slow 

VI.  Cooperative- 
ness. Consider 

his  ability  to 
work  with  others. 

VEt.  Construc- 
tive Thinking. 

Consider  his 
ability  to  grasp 
a situation  * and 
draw  the  correct 
conclusions. 

Cooperative 

Falls  in 
line 

Difficult 
to  handle 

Obstruc- 

tive 

Shows 

originality 

Resourceful 

Carries  out 
suggestions 

Needs  de- 
tailed in- 
struction 

Vni.  Ability  to 
Direct  Work  of 
Others.  Consider 
ability  to  direct 
work  and  gain 
cooperation. 

Gets  max- 
imum 
efficiency 

Directs  work 
without 
friction 

15 

Secures 

limited 

cooperation 

Wastes 

manpower 

Antagon- 

izes 

Such  a manual  should  contain  as  a basis  that  body  of  facts  which 
all  employees  should  know  and  understand.  The  practice  of  com- 
panies differs  widely  in  the  nature  and  content  of  information 
which  goes  into  an  office  manual  and  experience  offers  little  proof 
of  superiority  of  any  particular  practice.  Too  often  a company 
using  a manual  for  the  first  time,  follows  blindly  the  plan  used  by 
other  companies  without  regard  to  the  peculiar  needs  of  the  situa- 
tion. This  trouble  is  entirely  eliminated  by  building  the  office 
manual  upon  the  basis  of  job  analysis  data.  The  manual  should 
contain  only  such  facts  as  are  clearly  called  for  in  the  detailed 
job  descriptions.  Undoubtedly  such  descriptions  will  call  for  facts 
regarding  company  history,  its  plan  of  organization,  lines  of  au- 
thority, general  rules  of  office  routine,  functions  of  the  various 
departments,  and  the  interrelations  of  departments,  but  it  is  use- 
less to  clutter  up  the  manual  with  information  which  employees 
never  use. 

Many  operations  in  a business  office  touch  all  employees.  Each 
such  operation  should  be  covered  by  standard  practice  instructions 
in  the  interest  of  efficiency  and  uniformity.  Each  employee  should 
be  able  to  turn  to  the  office  manual  and  find  instructions  for  per- 
forming such  an  operation.  An  excellent  example  of  standard 
practice  instructions,  taken  from  the  manual  of  a prominent  St. 
Louis  firm,  is  given  on  the  next  page. 

The  most  important  part  of  the  training  program  in  a small 
office  is  concerned  with  individual  instruction  given  to  each  em- 
ployee covering  the  performance  of  his  or  her  own  particular  job. 
Because  of  the  nature  of  the  jobs  there  can  be  no  single  individual, 
such  as  an  office  manager  or  other  supervisor,  who  acts  as  instruc- 
tor for  all  employees,  or  even  for  large  groups.  Each  employee 
must  secure  instruction  from  his  immediate  supervisor  or  from 
someone  who  has  previously  held  the  same  position.  The  best  per- 
sonnel practice  in  this  connection  is  that  where  each  employee  is 
learning  to  do  his  own  job  better  by  receiving  instruction  from 
h:s  immediate  supervisor  and  is  at  the  same  time  giving  instruction 
to  the  person  who  is  next  in  line  of  promotion  for  his  job.  When 
this  plan  is  carefully  developed  each  employee  becomes  familiar 
with  three  jobs:  his  own,  the  job  below,  and  the  job  above  his 
own.  Before  he  can  be  promoted  to  a higher  position  he  must 
train  someone  to  fill  his  present  position.  This  system  when  prop- 
erly supervised  not  only  secures  very  excellent  training  results  but 
makes  possible  the  plan  of  promotion  which  develops  organization 
efficiency. 


16 


Subject:  Answering  the  Telephone. 

I.  Courtesy. 

A.  It  is  the  desire  of  the  management  of  this  Company  that  all  its 
representatives  appreciate  and  fully  measure  up  to  their  duty  in 
the  matter  of  courtesy.  The  principle  that  underlies  courteous 
treatment  of  others  is  simply  that  of  treating  them  as  you  would 
want  them  to  treat  you.  True  courtesy  is  £o  respecter  of  persons. 
It  should  be  remembered  that  words  are  only  one  means  of  ex- 
pression, and  that  manner  is  quite  as  important. 

II.  Answering  Calls. 

A.  When  answering  telephone  calls,  employees  of  General  Plant  Man- 
ager’s office  shall  be  governed  by  the  following: 

1.  Where  a telephone  is  used  by  a certain  employee  and  calls  placed 

for  that  telephone  are  usually  for  the  particular  person,  the  em- 
ployee answering  the  telephone  should  answer  with,  “Mr 

speaking.” 

2.  When  an  employee  answers  the  telephone  for  the  head  of  a 

department  or  in  any  similar  case,  the  person  answering  the  call 
should  answer  with  the  name  of  the  head  of  the  department 
followed  by  the  word  “Office”  and  employee’s  name.  For  ex- 
ample, Mr.  Robinson’s  office,  Miss speaking. 

3.  Where  a telephone  is  for  general  use,  and  calls  placed  for  that 
telephone  are  usually  for  the  department  and  not  for  a particular 
person,  the  employee  answering  the  telephone  should  answer 
with  the  nam-e  of  the  department  or  sub-department  in  which 
the  telephone  is  located.  For  example,  in  case  of  telephone  used 
for  general  purposes  in  the  General  Plant  Manager’s  office  the 
employee  would  answer  with  “General  Plant  Manager’s  office. 

Mr speaking.” 

4.  Where  a person  calling  desires  a particular  employee  and  the 

latter  is  called  to  the  telephone  after  the  call  has  already  been 
answered,  he  should  answer  with,  “Mr speaking.” 

B.  In  case  party  called  is  absent,  name  and  telephone  number  of  per- 
son calling  shall  be  requested  in  all  cases,  with  remark  that  the 
party  called  will  be  requested  to  call  the  number  upon  his  return. 

As  has  been  pointed  out  the  basis  of  training  for  each  in- 
dividual is  the  detailed  description  of  the  duties  and  responsibilities 
of  his  job.  Each  employee  should  be  furnished  with  written 
specifications  clearly  defining  his  duties  and  describing  carefully 
the  methods  which  he  should  use.  Care  must  be  taken  in  the  mak- 
ing of  instruction  sheets  to  formulate  each  job  description  in  terms 
of  functions.  The  importance  of  this  plan,  and  the  attention  which 
must  be  given  to  the  work  of  analysis  and  description,  is  well 
illustrated  by  the  accompanying  instructions  prepared  by  an  office 
expert  for  one  of  the  large  life  insurance  companies. 


17 


Instructions  for  Writing  a Job  Description. 

Number  of  Cards  to  Make  Out. 

I.  Make  out  a separate  card  for  each  job.  You  may,  however,  refer 
to  previous  card  if  reference  is  definite. 

Ex.  Carries  on  same  work  as  “sales  recording  clerk”  except  for 
item  4,  etc. 

II.  When  the  employee  does  the  same  work  as  several  others  but  has 
general  charge  of  the  work,  make  out  a separate  card,  as  noted 
above. 

General  Directions  for  Writing  Job  Descriptions. 

I.  In  writing  up  job  descriptions,  begin  with  the  simplest  operation, 
i.  e.,  the  job  involving  the  least  responsibility  in  the  department, 
and  then  work  up  through  the  more  responsible  jobs. 

II.  The  name  of  the  position  should  (be  as  descriptive  as  possible,  that 
is,  not  just  Junior  Clerk,  but,  for  example,  Junior  Reviewer,  Com- 
parer, File  Clerk,  Poster,  Bookkeeper,  etc. 

III.  Give  first  a very  brief  general  statement  of  nature  of  work. 

Ex.  1.  Supervises  card  writing  section. 

2.  Waits  on  Policyholders  making  personal  calls. 

IV.  Then  give  detailed  description  of  work. 

a.  If  the  clerk’s  round  of  duties  is  daily,  give  those  duties  in 
chronological  order. 

b.  If  the  round  of  duties  is  weekly  or  monthly,  give  items  in 
order  of  time  devoted  to  work.  That  is,  if  one  part  of  clerk’s 
work  takes  10  days  and  another  part  5 days,  describe  the  ten- 
day  work  first. 

c.  If  job  is  one  in  which  there  is  little  definite  repetition  of  duties, 
give  items  in  order  of  importance,  the  most  important  duties 
first. 

d.  If  the  job  is  a combination  of  the  above  three,  give  daily 
duties  first,  then  weekly,  monthly,  etc.,  and  last  variant  duties. 

Form  of  Writing  Detailed  Description. 

I.  Write  in  present  tense. 

II.  Use  no  pronouns. 

III.  Whenever  possible  tell  where  the  work  comes  from. 

IV.  When  referring  to  forms,  use  definite  form  number,  but  also  give 
name  of  form,  if  any,  at  time  of  first  reference.  Subsequent  refer- 
ence may  be  either  by  name  or  number. 

V.  Number  duties  (1,  2,  3,  etc.)  whenever  possible. 

VI.  State  time  devoted  to  each  operation  when  possible. 

VII.  State  average  amount  per  person  accomplished  each  day  when 
possible. 

Ex.  1.  Number  of  dictaphone  records  transcribed. 

2.  Number  of  cards  filed. 

VIII.  When  supervisory  duties  are  involved,  state  whether  or  not  super- 
vision is  of  a general  or  detailed  nature. 

IX .  Whenever  possible  tell  where  work  goes  to. 

Explanation  of  Questions  on  Reverse  Side  of  Card. 

I.  The  question  of  “time  to  learn  the  work”  refers  to  the  time  required 
to  learn  the  job  itself  and  not  the  amount  of  time  required  to  be- 
come proficient  in  the  job. 

i II.  In  question  4 give  total  time  that  an  average  person  should  have 
worked  in  other  company  positions  to  qualify  for  the  job  being 
described. 


If  it  is  necessary  to  discuss  the  job  analysis  with  the  person  actually 
doing  the  work,  discuss  matter  with  him  as  if  for  your  own  information. 


18 


When  putting  a training  program  into  effect  it  must  be  kept  in 
mind  that  standardization  and  the  development  of  routine  can  be 
carried  too  far.  It  is  possible  to  organize  and  classify  the  life  and 
interest  clear  out  of  organization.  Jobs  must  not  be  stereotyped 
and  red  tape  must  not  be  allowed  to  accumulate.  It  must  be 
realized  that  individuals  grow  and  develop  and  that  the  jobs  must 
grow  along  with  them.  Standards  and  routine  should  never  be 
allowed  to  hamper  initiative  or  hinder  individual  development.  It 
will  be  necessary,  therefore,  to  revise  job  specifications  regularly 
at  half  year  intervals,  and  the  rules  of  standard  practice  must  be 
constantly  subject  to  revision.  The  important  point  in  this  com 
nection  is  simply  that  job  descriptions  and  the  standard  practice 
manual  should  form  the  working  basis  of  individual  and  group 
training. 

The  use  of  job  analysis  in  connection  with  the  training  of  office 
employees  is  not  an  innovation.  The  method  has  been  used  with 
completely  satisfactory  results  in  a number  of  progressive  com- 
panies. Wilson  & Company,  well  known  shirt  manufacturers,  have 
made  complete  job  analysis  data  the  basis  of  their  office  organiza- 
tion and  training  plan.  A manual  of  instructions  gives  the  new 
employee  an  understanding  of  the  general  office  routine  and  de- 
tailed instruction  sheets  are  furnished  for  each  position.  The 
United  States  Gypsum  Company  has  likewise  developed  detailed 
written  instructions  for  each  job  and  employs  special  educational 
counsellors  who  supervise  new  employees  and  watch  their  progress 
in  becoming  familiar  with  their  duties.  The  results  in  both  of 
these  companies  are  reported  as  excellent. 

Making  the  Training  Program  Effective 

No  training  program  is  more  effective  than  the  supervision 
which  is  given  to  it.  That  is,  training  can  only  be  carried  on  sat- 
isfactorily when  the  results  of  training  are  checked  up  from  time 
to  time  and  objectively  measured.  It  is,  of  course,  more  difficult 
to  measure  production  in  office  jobs  than  in  factory  positions  where 
there  is  a more  tangible  output.  The  factory  affords  also  the  pos- 
sibility of  a greater  division  of  duties  than  is  possible  in  a small 
office  force.  But  it  is  possible  to  work  out  standard  efficiency  for 
the  various  operations  in  most  offices  and  the  work  of  each  in- 
dividual can  be  measured  in  terms  of  these  standards.  In  some 
cases  it  is  possible  to  measure  actual  production.  In  others,  it 
may  be  necessary  to  rely  upon  careful  ratings  or  estimates  of  ef- 


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ficiency  made  regularly  by  one  or  more  supervisors.  The  purpose 
of  such  measures  is  not  only  to  check-up  the  efficiency  of  the  in- 
dividual for  purposes  of  salary  adjustment  or  promotion,  but  to 
develop  the  further  training  needs  of  the  individual.  The  greatest 
improvement  in  the  performance  of  any  job  will  come  from  care- 
fully regulated  supervision  of  each  employee’s  work  with  the  con- 
sequent detection  of  errors,  weaknesses,  or  improper  methods. 
These  things  become  automatically  the  objectives  of  thorough 
training. 

The  training  program  cannot  be  effective  unless  some  executive 
with  authority  is  charged  with  the  executive  supervision  of  the 
work.  The  individual  usually  charged  with  such  supervision  is 
the  office  manager,  but  in  small  companies  where  no  such  executive 
is  employed,  the  duty  of  direct  supervision  must  fall  upon  the  de- 
partment heads.  However,  where  the  function  of  supervision  must 
be  exercised  by  a number  of  such  department  heads,  some  single 
executive  of  the  company  should  be  charged  by  the  management 
with  the  responsibility  of  seeing  that  supervision  is  properly  carried 
through.  A system  of  regular  reports  by  department  heads  may 
be  found  necessary  in  carrying  out  this  plan. 

While  the  organization  and  administration  of  a training  pro- 
gram is  a problem  for  the  management,  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  the  interest  and  cooperation  of  the  workers  themselves  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  success.  That  is,  it  is  not  only  necessary  to 
provide  training  for  the  various  positions,  but  is  also  necessary  to 
make  employees  want  to  secure  such  training.  Sufficient  incentive 
must  be  supplied  to  secure  the  hearty  cooperation  of  all  the  workers 
in  the  office.  The  principal  incentive  must  naturally  be  that  of  ad- 
vancement in  salary  and  position  through  the  successful  completion 
of  the  various  steps  in  training.  As  an  employee  improves  in  ability, 
and  therefore  increases  his  or  her  output,  the  increase  in  com- 
pensation must  be  commensurate  to  the  increased  value  of  the  em- 
ployee to  the  firm.  Furthermore,  the  company  must  be  careful  to 
recognize  increased  efficiency,  and  the  office  organization  must  be 
such  that  it  is  possible  to  promote  employees  as  rapidly  as  they 
achieve  new  levels  of  ability. 

In  the  administration  of  a training  system,  problems  will  arise 
due  to  the  differences  of  ability  and  differences  in  attitude  of  em- 
ployees. Some  will  be  able  to  advance  rapidly,  some  will  not  make 
an  effort  to  improve,  and  still  others  will  be  unable  to  learn.  The 


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handling  of  these  and  other  groups  present  a difficult  personnel 
problem,  but  it  is  possible  of  solution.  Department  conferences 
and  honest  man-to-man  dealing  will  eliminate  wrong  attitudes. 
The  detailed  knowledge  of  the  requirements  of  each  job,  together 
with  a method  of  measuring  the  proficiency  of  individual  workers, 
will  make  it  possible  for  the  management  to  deal  sucess  fully  with 
the  individual  who  does  not  improve  in  quality  or  quantity  of  work. 
When  the  proper  records  are  kept,  the  elimination  of  the  unfit 
follows  as  a natural  consequence. 

Complete  success  in  the  administration  of  a training  program 
can  be  secured  only  at  the  price  of  constant  supervisory  effort. 
The  checking  of  results  must  be  regular,  and  the  data  thus  secured 
must  be  carefully  studied  to  detect  weaknesses  in  the  training  pro- 
gram. Experience  proves  that  the  method  and  content  of  training 
must  be  changed  frequently  to  conform  to  new  conditions  which 
arise,  and  it  is  only  by  a careful  study  of  the  training  records  that 
the  need  for  changes  becomes  apparent.  The  failure  of  many 
promising  training  programs  can  be  traced  primarily  to  the  fact 
that  proper  records  were  not  kept. 

The  Rewards  of  Training 

From  the  standpoint  of  management,  the  time  and  money  ex- 
pended for  a training  program  represents  an  investment  from  which 
management  secures  very  tangable  dividends  just  as  truly  as  from 
equipment  or  manufacturing  processes.  By  raising  the  efficiency 
of  the  individual  employee,  more  work  can  be  produced  per  day, 
therefore  less  floor  space  is  required.  Furthermore,  the  higher  the 
type  of  the  employee  and  the  better  trained  he  is,  the  less  super- 
vision is  required.  Few  supervisors  are  required  for  comparatively 
larger  number  of  employees.  Within  the  organization  production 
is  brought  up  to  a maximum  because  the  work  is  definitely  laid 
out  and  scheduled.  Records  will  show  positively  who  are  deserv- 
ing of  promotion  and  salary  increases.  When  it  becomes  advisable 
or  necessary  to  discharge  an  employee,  it  is  done  upon  the  basis 
of  facts  revealed  in  the  office  records.  Training  is  a promoter  of 
good-will.  The  type  of  work  being  done  as  a result  of  a definite 
training  program  will  put  the  industry  back  of  it  in  a class  above 
the  average,  and  the  spirit  of  helpfulness  that  is  developed  within 
the  organization  will  be  recognized  and  appreciated  by  those  com- 
ing in  contact  with  the  management  in  a business  way.  A fifty 
per  cent,  decrease  in  errors  and  a thirty  per  cent,  increase  in  pro- 


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duction  has  been  secured  by  several  business  organizations  that 
put  on  only  a limited  educational  program,  dealing  for  most  part 
with  general  analysis,  the  standardization  of  a day’s  work  of  the 
various  employees.  Much  more  can  be  secured  by  those  who  def- 
initely and  systematically  carry  on  a continuous  program  of  train- 
ing built  upon  the  actual  needs  of  all  office  workers  employed. 


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